London, October 14: Britain will provide a £20 million ($27 million) aid package to deliver water, sanitation and hygiene services in Gaza, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday, as he arrived in Egypt for a world leaders’ summit aimed at ending the conflict.
The new funding will be channelled through UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Norwegian Refugee Council to assist people facing famine, malnutrition and disease, the government said in a statement. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held for a third consecutive day on Sunday, part of the first phase of an agreement aimed at ending the two-year war.
Britain also announced plans to host a three-day international summit on the reconstruction of Gaza, bringing together government officials, private sector representatives and development finance institutions, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank.
London said it has provided £74 million ($94 million) in humanitarian support to Palestine so far this financial year, following its formal recognition of Palestine as a state last month.
